Switched reluctance, fully superconducting, integrated ring turbine motor, generator gas turbine, engine stage (ssrgts)

ABSTRACT

A superconducting integrated ring turbine motor generator gas turbine engine stage of the present invention includes a combination of turbine vanes, rotors and blisk assemblies that prevent temperatures during operation from interfering with the extraction or control of power generation processes. The engine stage includes a ring having an evenly spaced array of aerodynamic vanes affixed on the inside or outside of the ring. The vanes are spaced apart by a nonmagnetic armature assembly spacer ring.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The disclosure relates to electromagnetic propulsion assemblies and, more specifically, to apparatus and techniques for integration of electric power generation in the turbomachinery of such assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In high power electromagnetic propulsion assemblies having electric power generation mechanisms that interact with turbomachinery, it is critical to control/align electromagnetic flux paths so that electric power generation and extraction mechanisms can be integrated correctly within the rotating turbine assemblies, near combustion processes, but protected from the heat. In the prior art, integration of power generation has typically incorporated external or add-on power generation systems onto gas turbine power assemblies, i.e. low pressure or high pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a Superconducting, Integrated Ring Turbine Motor Generator Gas Turbine Engine Stage (SRSRTMGS) provides a revolutionary engine architecture that is 20%-30% lighter than current gas turbine engine technology. Specifically, disclosed herein is an assembly and technique for the introduction of ferromagnetic materials and/or assemblies within the turbine vanes, rotors and blisk assemblies themselves in configurations that prevents temperatures from interfering with the extraction or control of the power generation processes. Also disclosed are specific integrated cryogenic system cooling architectures to allow for superconducting power flux to move from the rotating turbomachine rotor assemblies to stationary turbo-generator coil assemblies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates conceptually a side, cross-sectional view of a vane disk assembly, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a conceptually a front, cross-sectional view of the vane disk assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a conceptually a top, partially transparent, cross-sectional view of the vane disk assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The rotating vane disk assembly structure of the Switched Reluctance, Fully Superconducting, Integrated Ring Turbine Motor Generator Gas Turbine Engine Stage (SRSRTMGS) disclosed herein is fabricated from ferromagnetic material and comprises a ring C having evenly spaced array of aerodynamic vanes A and B affixed on the outside or inside diameter. Two of these assemblies are affixed together with one set of vanes oriented such that their centers align with the gaps in the other vane disk assembly. The two vane disk assemblies are spaced apart by a nonmagnetic spacer ring.

FIG. 1 illustrates conceptually a side, cross-sectional view of a vane disk assembly with vanes A on the outer diameter of the ring. In principle vanes A can be inverted as conceptually in FIG. 3. If the two planes of vanes A and B are mounted on a common ferromagnetic disk, the system would either not work or work very poorly. In the disclosed system, magnetic flux is diverted architecturally by including the non-magnetic spacer ring C, allowing for the diversion across the flux gap of the vanes. A common ferromagnetic disk only diverts the flux away from where it is needed to go, i.e. a concentration of flux across the flux gap between the vanes and the armature.

The disclosed structure provides a low reluctance path for magnetic flux out through one set of armature coils (F), and one vane A or B, across the conductive joint plane of the armature (G), and back through the other airfoil vane A or B, the second one of two. With only one set of vanes, the return flux path is removed and it would dramatically impact performance. Removing the conductance of the inner magnetizing coil through flux path switching allows for on and off switching of the set of armature coils (F) and the flux. This control approach attracts the blades and causes rotation of the rotor assembly, or turbo-electric turbine disc stage. As the blades A and B approach the energized armature coils F they are switched off, then switched on by the next adjacent set of coils, etc. The armature pitch and phase orientations are set so as to be ¼ to ½ pitch different between the first turbo vane and the second turbo vane of the switched reluctance set, and magnetic pair airfoils. This revolutionary switched reluctance turbine motor/generator generates power in these specific tangent and angle orientations from the MAGJET Ion Plasma Combustor gas turbine exhaust and the flow onto the blades with their ferromagnetic cores and trunion, facing the stationary stator coils.

A stationary, coaxial solenoidal coil is arranged adjacent to the vane (airfoil) disk assemblies on the opposite side of the ring from the vanes. This solenoidal coil is fabricated of a high temperature superconducting material and may optionally be surrounded by a ferromagnetic ring with a C-shaped cross section where the opening of the C-shaped cross section faces the vane disk assembly. When energized, this coil supplies magnetic flux which flows out though one vane disk assembly, through a stationary armature assembly to be described below and returns through the other vane disk assembly. The optional C-shaped core provides a low reluctance path to complete the loop of the magnetic flux.

The ferromagnetic C-shaped core provides a low reluctance flux path improving performance of the system, and, although it does add weight to the assembly, the weight penalty is offset by the weight savings of a shaft-less electric hybrid gas turbine engine architecture, with no stators, no lubricants, pumps, or mechanical bearings or roller cages.

A stationary armature assembly is affixed facing the vane disk assemblies. This armature assembly is of a unique C-Channel configuration with a number of poles and wiring to create a switched reluctance rotating electric machine using the rotating vanes (airfoils) as magnetic pole features, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The armature assembly does not exhibit conventional iron teeth, instead they are removed in the design and replaced with a non-magnetic and non-conductive material. Additionally, the armature coils are fabricated using superconducting ribbon and formed with coil fabrication methods such as Litz wire processes, where the conductor is made using many strands of a very small 3G ribbon (or wire) cabled into the conductor. Lastly, backing iron in this armature is not used and is replaced with a non-magnetic material.

The SRSRTMGS is a very high speed machine, therefore the armature operating frequencies are very high, therefore the superconducting vane armatures are encapsulated in a cooled trunion at the distal ends of the vanes with coolant running from the proximal or axial center of the vane stage to the outer rim of the trunion. The device will function as a motor or generator either driving the vane assembly to compress a fluid flow or be driven by the fluid flow to generate electric power. This is done by energizing the solenoid coil with a direct current. Then the appropriate driving voltage and current is applied to the armature assembly to drive the vanes if the machine is used as a motor/compressor or electric power is available at the armature terminals if the machine were to be used as a generator/turbine. Lastly, the rotating vane assembly is supported by a magnetic bearing approach, either fully sensored and active, or in a closed loop, with a feed forward software sensing architecture with embedded bread board to function as a passive control architecture.

It will be obvious to those recently skilled in the art that modifications to the apparatus and process disclosed here in may occur, including substitution of various component values or nodes of connection, without parting from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. 

1-2. (canceled)
 3. A stage of an engine comprising: a. a support ring fabricated of a ferromagnetic material; b. an array of a first set of vanes and a second set of vanes spaced apart from one another, wherein the array is affixed to the ring; and c. an armature assembly spacer ring formed of a non-magnetic material, wherein the spacer ring is arranged to space apart vanes of the first set of vanes from vanes of the second set of vanes.
 4. The stage of an engine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the vanes of the first set of vanes are positioned on the outside diameter of the support ring and the vanes of the second set of vanes are positioned on the inside diameter of the support ring.
 5. The stage of an engine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the armature assembly spacer ring is configured with an armature pitch and phase orientation that are different between the vanes of the first set of vanes and the vanes of the second set of vanes. 